Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Abstract BACKGROUND: Dynamic aging depends on providing opportunities to improve the quality of life
of the elderly. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between social support
and quality of life in the elderly in Guilan.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive‑correlational study was conducted in the elderly
who visited urban public places in the East of Guilan (mosques, parks, weekly markets, and clubs).
A total of 168 elderly who met the inclusion criteria were selected through two‑stage, cluster, and
convenience sampling. Data were collected using Phillips Standard 23‑item social support scale
and 12‑item quality of life scale‑short form. Data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential
statistics (Pearson correlation coefficient).
RESULTS: The mean score of social support in the elderly in Guilan was 73.25 ± 9.18 and the mean
quality of life was obtained at 24.67 ± 7.06. Data analysis showed that there was a significant and
positive correlation between social support and quality of life (r = 0.29, P < 0.0001).
CONCLUSIONS: Increased social support leads to a higher quality of life in the elderly. Thus, it is
necessary to timely identify the needs and promote comprehensive social support to improve the
quality of life in the elderly.

Abstract BACKGROUND: One of the main psychological problems in hemodialysis patients is hopelessness.
Spiritual health leads the patients toward hope and goal in life. Given the importance of the issue
and the little research in this area, this study aimed to assess hope and its relationship with spiritual
health on hemodialysis patients in Rasht Razi Hospital of Iran.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This correlational study carried out on 103 patients who admitted
in Rasht Razi Hospital Hemodialysis Center by simple random sampling. The data were collected
through Snyder’s Hope Scale and Spiritual Health. The psychomotricity of these questionnaires has
been confirmed in domestic studies. The data were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential
statistics (Pearson correlation coefficient).
RESULTS: The majority of the patients were male (59.2%), in the age group of above 60 (46.60%),
married (83.5%), with low income (60.2%), and under diploma (53.4%). The mean of hope score
was 36.36 (±9.10) that showed the high level of hope in the majority of the patients. The mean of
the total spiritual health score was 227.93 (±19.01) that indicates the high level of spiritual health in
hemodialysis patients. There was a positive and significant correlation between spiritual health and
its dimensions and hope (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study approve the importance of spiritual health as an effective
variable on hope among hemodialysis patients. Hence, health‑care providers and clinical experts
are recommended to focus on spiritual health to increase hope among such patients.